


The Fall

by malixace



Series: Before the Fall [3]
Category: Black Ops III, Call of Duty (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Hendricks Didn't Sign Up For This
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2019-07-29 13:48:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16265480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malixace/pseuds/malixace
Summary: The start of the fall. Hendricks and Seely start their decent into madness and destruction. The end begins or is it just the beginning?





	1. It Begins.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok first mission divided into chapters. Also I'm sorry for how long it took. I had a crisis. Like I was used and discarded kind of crisis. Over it for now so...yeah a little may be refelcted in my player

“This. This is heaven” I said digging in to what I think was a snickers bar. Could have been a milky way. Didn't matter; it was finders keepers on the VITOL. Seely grinned slightly watching me out of the corner of her eye. “I could live off these for the next month” 

  


“Sure about that?” She asked

  


“Of course. Well, you and the chocolate. You for as long as you'll put up with my ass.” I said taking another bite of the chocolate bar. “But compared to the MREs we've had to live on lately? Chocolate first baby”

  


“Learn to dodge shrapnel and keep your head down and I'll put up with you for as long as you want me too. Also, You know they have a mod to make everything taste good” she said standing up from leaning on the VITOLs door. 

  


“Where would the fun in that be?” I asked picking up one of our new toys and handing it to her. “Besides if I did that, I wouldn't be able to appreciate the real thing” she smiled taking the gun and checking the rounds. 

  


We were headed into what was called the Quarantine zone. Some CIA black project gone awry and their government ended up putting a wall in to try to keep it contained. Three hundred thousand dead because of whatever the CIA had been doing there. Seely and I were supposed to pull Intel and see what had happened with the last team sent in to investigate. 

  


“Alright this is as far as I go” the pilot called over the comms.

  


“Time to get to work” Seely mumbled as we jumped out of the VITOL just outside the wall. 

  


“Here. There's a storm coming” I handed her one of the anchors. “Don't need either of us blowing away in the storm.” 

  


“You'd still save me right?” Seely asked taking the anchor.

  


“Anything for my Dorothy”

  


“If only he had a brain. Get. A. Room.” Kane said over our com. I gave Seely my best  _ Well excuse me  _ look when she let out a chuckle as we began our trek into lawless territory. 

  


“WA doesn't cover that kind of expense” Seely snickered.

  


“Looks like the storm is going to be picking up as we go further in.” I said as we made our way through. Kane gave us a quick run down as thunder and lightning shot through the sky. I could feel Seely calm and collected at the back of my mind. It made me feel a little better about the op. 

  


When we got to the top of the rise we spotted a small group of 54 Immortals. “...pretty big flesh trade they got going.”

  


“This isn't good” Seely said when we saw a warlord dragging the two people around like rag dolls. They had punched the woman and knocked out her husband. It was over almost as it had begun. 

  


A detonation collar was put on the man. Within seconds both of their heads had been blown off. Things like this made my blood boil. Seely seethed but she kept it together. Me on the other hand. “Jacob” she warned.

“Seely”

“Stand down it's not our mission” she said leveling with me. But I wasn't about to stay level with this shit. 

“No; but we can at least kill the bastard!” Exclaiming as I let loose the first shot. Rushing to cover I heard Seely curse behind me trying to get the launcher ready that I gave her I handed her on the VITOL. 

  


This son of a bitch wasn't easy to take that was for sure. There were snipers and other 54I militia firing at us along with the war Lord. It was lawless country as far as I was concerned. It was also good we didn't have to abide by any kind of mandate. 

  
  


“What the hell was that?!” Seely yelled after we were clear for the moment.

  


“What do you mean ' _ What the hell was that?!’  _ what the fucking hell did it look like?!” I yelled back. 

  


“That wasn't our mission.” She said firmly.

  


“I know but what else were we supposed to do? Seels we're here, why not do some good while we're at it, huh?” 

  


I could see the wheels in her head turning. She rolled her eyes and gave her usual  _ let's go  _ gesture to show that she agreed with me. I gave her a quick peck and took the lead. 

  


“Trouble in paradise?” Kane asked

  


“Can it Kane” I growled out. 

  


“Should I be jealous?” Seely asked from behind.

  


Oh my God I was being ganged up on. This was going to be and interesting op.

  
  


Between the storm and the 54I, it was a wonder we even made it to the console; it didn't take us long to dispatch the enemies the storm was a different story. Kane had instructed us on what to do. Seely went ahead and hacked in. “Ok, got it.” Seely said after pulling her hand away from the terminal.

  


“All right let's book it. The storm is picking up something fierce.” I called as we made out way inside the old ship taking out any stragglers before the storm decided it was going to hurl us across the shipyard. 

  


“SHIIIT!!” was all I could hear seely say as we jumped through a building and tumbled for a moment. 

  


“You ok?” I scrambled to her, both of us coughing at all the water that had gotten into our lungs. 

  


“Might have swallowed a goldfish... I'll let ya know” she said sitting up.

  


“Walk it off tiger. C'mon we gotta move” I helped her up and we were on the move again. 

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hendricks and Seely reach the end of their first mission on their downward decent in to madness and choas at the black site. Also some early Christmas warmness at the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry guys. This one was a little rushed and rearranged in a lot of areas. But I hope you all enjoy this early Christmas present.
> 
>  
> 
> I own nothing I just write the fics

We had to take a swim from here once we reached the escalator of the building we landed in.  Kane of course in our ears letting us know what was going on. Yay CIA. Seely was behind me as we made our way through the sea weed and half drowned subway tunnel.

 

“We're almost there” she said as we ascended another set of escalator stairs.

 

“Shh quiet” I had to say as I ducked ahead.

 

“Bots and 54i” she said over our secure neural link.

“I see you…” I said more to myself than anything. “Going to set off some fireflies”

  


Fireflies away. It got everything started. Seely was particularly vicious on the bots. I didn't blame her. “Kill confirmed” she called after the current 54i was down near a truck.

 

“Moving to first floor.” We took cover as another wave of 54i began to swarm. “Enemies above and below.”

 

Felt like it took us a little more than an hour to clear the first and second floors before moving to the third floor. Keeping the banter to a minimum. Called our targets and what enemies were ahead. Those riot shields were a bitch to take out. Even though time had felt as if it were dragging, it all seemed to flash by when a warlord with a riot shield showed up to the party as we made our way to meet up with Kane. It opened fire and we fell back to the end of the hallway. “Jay, you alright?” Seely asked trying to stay in cover on the other side.

 

“Yeah I'm good” I said as shots came from behind the warlord suddenly. “Who the hell is shooting?!”

 

“You guys ok?” It was Kane.

 

“Kane. I thought I told you to stay up top?” I said none too pleased about our LNO.

 

“With all the noise you two were making...thought an extra gun couldn't hurt” she said clicking her weapon into safety.

 

“Appreciated” Seely said.

 

“C'mon still have a ways to.” Kane said leading the way.

 

I looked at Seely. “ _Really?”_

 

_“What?”_

 

_“We had this?”_

 

She returned the look of 'are you kidding?’ before heading to follow Kane.

 

I shook my head and followed. Kane gave us the run down as we came to a set of zip lines. Guess it was time to make some noise. “Almost done” Seely said hopping on one of the lines and heading down one side of ruined buildings. Kane gave a knowing smile before I followed from the other side.

 

Seely was right we we're almost done. With this op anyway. Almost to the black station and figuring out what happened here. There had to be more. Either that or it was just 54i and their killing sprees.

 

The fire fight was intense, even with Kane giving cover fire the warlord was still a bitch to take down. Something just didn't feel right as we made our way into the next building. “This looks neat” Seely said more to herself than anything. She found some little Doo dad like she always did. I wasn't going to fault her for that.

 

Ahead of us was a blocked door. Not unusual but still odd. “Well?” Seely asked raising an eyebrow coming up to the door.

 

“Well _what?”_

 

“Big strong man in the group” Kane added before they both started giggling. This was a bad idea.

 

“It's a simple beam either one of you can move it too!”

 

“You're right we could. A simple beam...blasted from the inside.” Seely noticed it too.

 

“That's actually kind of odd.” Kane said looking closer as well.

 

“Something was trying to get out..” the hair on my neck stood on its end as we moved the beam and went through.

 

A group of hostiles met us at the top of the stairs. They turned out to be a walk in the park after the waves we had gone through. Heading further in we all got quiet as we heard something up ahead. Some 54i were trying to get into a room that was sealed. They may have succeeded if we hadn't have been there to make sure they didn't get any government secrets.

 

A few quick rounds to each of their skulls and we were good to go. “Let's see what behind door number one” I mumbled

 

“Guys” we both looked at Kane ready to rip open the door. “Sometimes you have to use a key” Kane said walking up to a panel. At least she was food for something.

 

When we entered everything felt as still as a graveyard. That's when the smell finally hit. Rotten and wet. If that could be used to describe something like this.

 

The Black station personnel were in a circle with stab wounds and their eyes, ears and noses cut off. Kane made he way to a console while Seely and I investigated the bodies. “What happened here?” One of us asked.

 

“Denial of reincarnation. Sounds like something 54i enforcer Jae Xiong would do” she explained going further in on the console drive.

 

“This is horrible. But why would the immortals go through all of this?” Seely asked taking a closer look at one of the bodies.

 

“No telling. How are those data drives coming?” I asked not wanting to be here any longer then absolutely necessary.

 

“Looking….dammit! The drives were stolen”

 

“Could it have been the immortals?”

 

“I don't know...that means every CIA Op could be broadcast and they could use it to get the jump on us.” Kane explained.

 

“Can they be tracked?” Seely asked.

 

“And Who last accessed the site?” I asked getting a cold feeling through my veins.

 

“It was Taylor and his team” Kane said not wanting to look me in the eye. “They were here last when the station went black. And I think I can trace them”

 

“That's ridiculous, Taylor wouldn't do something like that!” I exclaimed.

 

“Maybe, maybe not. Here isn't anyway of knowing without them linked through their DNI” Kane said typing away.

 

“We just have to find them and try to get some answers. But what about the drives?” Seely asked.

 

“Biodomes. Right into the heart of the immortals territory and to their leaders Goh Mihn and Goh Xuilahn.” Kane said standing up from the console.

 

“Is anyway we can get in there?”

 

“I know a guy who might be able to get us access.” I said trying to let Seely's calmness take affect on me but it wasn't working. I just couldn't see Taylor doing this. “But you can't be serious about Taylor, Kane you just can't”

 

“We served with them for five years. There has been another explanation to this.” Seely said

 

“I wish there was. Let's worry about the drives first” Kane said

 

“There is no way Taylor had any part of this” I said trying to convince myself, but it wasn't working. I had to leave the room as Ka e and Seely continued to discuss further plans.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Back at the safe house I sat in the dingy thing that passed for a tub. A knock at the door let me know Seely was coming in. Even with the cybernetics and metal parts she still looked so good in one of my oversized t-shirts. She sat on the edge of the tub and we stared at each other. “We'll find out what really happened” she said running her fingers over the now tepid water.

 

“I know. I just...I just don't think Taylor would do something like that. It just doesn't make any sense to me.” I said.

 

“I'm sure there is a logical explanation.”

 

“There better be. I'm also not too fond of our new LNO” I said taking her hand.

 

“She's a good person. Like I said before, she's seen some shit just like us. You are just being paranoid” Seely said giving me a small kiss to my forehead.

 

“Yeah well”

 

“No yeah well. Give her a chance”

 

“Only because you asked so nicely” I was about to pull her in when she shot up and ran out of the tiny bathroom with a wink. _WTF?!_

 

“Merry Christmas!” She exclaimed when she finally came back with a crudely wrapped small box.

 

“It's not technically Christmas yet” I said sitting up. I was going to rust. I didn't care.

 

“No, but with how our ops usually go; we'll end up forgetting until after New years” she said taking back her perch on the side of the tub.

 

I took the time gift and unwrapped it. It was a steel ring. Looked like polished gunmetal on a black cord. I looked at her and what flesh she had left went bright red. For the first time I was speechless. So many things to be pissed but this wasn't one of them. “When did you find time to get something this shiny?” I had to ask taking it out and looking at it in the dim light.

 

“Our last furlough” she said with a shrug.

 

“That was six months ago.”

 

“I like to plan ahead”

 

“Uh huh yeah” I laughed adjusting the cord and putting it on. I leaned back in the tub feeling like a king. “What about you?” I finally asked answering my own dumb question when she took the shirt and her civvies off and stepped into the tub with me.

 

Around her neck was a similar band and cord. “This water it cold how long have you actually been in here?!”

 

“Long enough” I pulled her close “Merry Christmas” I wrapped her in my as and we sat in the now cold water for a while longer. We eventually moved to our mattress on the floor. Too tired for anything; though lying there was more than enough for both of us.

 

Tomorrow was going to a long day.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed. Again sorry it takes me so long. Real life happened and I had a personal crisis. But I'm back. Happy holidays everyone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 54I, super trees and a lot of yelling and running and shooting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am terrible. i really am. but here is the next chapter going to work on my ME on also. please enjoy!   
> I don't own anything really

Before we got underway I managed to express my distrust for our new LNO once more. Of course Seely would say that I'm was paranoid in my old age. Why wouldn't she being only a few years my junior. I loved her though; keeping me on my toes. “I guess we'll see then” I said as we headed out.

 

Getting inside was no problem. Danny and I had gone way back. And our cover as free agents looking to sell what we collected from our time with the Winslow Accord peaked his interest. Our outfits we're a bit bulky due to trying to hide all of the cybernetics but they did the job. Seely didn't smoke but she took that cigar like a pro. I managed to to most of the talking for us. Just sipping whiskey and trying to make a deal for some extra cash. 

 

“So far so good guys. Keep it up.” Kane said over the coms. I had to make a quick face before Seely shot me a sharp glance. 

 

I shrugged as Danny leaned over the table “What's the matter Hendricks? Trouble in paradise” he commented thinking he was slick.

 

“No…”

 

“You know how the body gets with old age; gas and all that” Seely said with a smirk.

 

“Eat something he shouldn't have huh?”

 

“Jacob loves his tacos” Seely's grin could rival that of the Cheshire cat himself. They both busted out laughing at my expense. At least it was a save. Not a good one but still it worked. 

 

“ Ha ha very funny. Laugh it up both of you. L-O-fuckin'-L!” 

 

“Oh c'mon Hendricks learn to laugh at yourself Danny said wiping away a tear. I'd get my pay back later. The talks had gotten back on track about 'selling’ the bots and getting in closer to getting those data drives. 

 

After trying to iron out more details, Danny called the waiter over for more drinks. Poor guy, more nervous than a damn rabbit. Spilt the liquor and got a knife to the hand for it. Danny yelled at him before we got back to the talks about the bots. 

 

Nothing ever goes off without a hitch in this day and age. The twins decided to make their appearance.”You've been had guys, what's the plan?!” Kane called over our comms as we were definitely had on this. 

 

The next few seconds seemed to pass by in slow motion as I activated the bots as Seely and I took cover. Poor Danny. The rat deserved it in the end. The brother of the leadership twins went down in the crossfire as well. “Got a plan B?” I heard Seely call as we hustled through the new door in the side of the bar we were in. 

 

“Yeah, to get through this.” I said making my way to a cover point. There had been a nice hole made in the side of the ram shackle bar we were in. 

 

“Moving up” Seely said taking out some 54i. This was going to be a long road. Especially when the Overlord decided to come out. 

 

“ Cover me.” 

 

“Got your six” 

 

Scavenging ammo as we went, Seely took to switching out weapons every few that we took down. When we finally made it to the storage trailers it was a toss up of where to go from there. 

 

“Left or right Kane?!” I shouted hearing more gun fire heading our way. The bots would only last us so long. 

 

“It doesn't matter, both ways lead to the same place. So just pick one!” Kane said over the comms. 

 

“Divide and conquer?” Seeley had the audacity to suggest. I gave her a look before sinking a round into a 54i skull coming up behind her from the left path. “Left it is” 

 

“That's what I thought.” I grumbled following her behind cover, over and through. Damned place was a maze. 

 

Seely took over a few drones while inlet some fireflies loose on the hostiles. Should have known one way or another this would have gotten messy. “You’re almost there guys keep pushing” Kane said as we reached the door to  the facility we were headed to. 

 

When we finally got rid of the Overlord we had a mech and hostile bots to worry about. “Kind of over all of these bots, ya know?!” Seely exclaimed taking cover a ways back to program her rocket launcher she had picked up. 

 

“I know! Just keep shooting!”

 

“Gangway!” One of Seely's rockets whizzed by my ear; before I could react the giant bot guarding the door was blown sky high. Shrapnel and other debris went everywhere, some of it even took out some of the stragglers as we picked off what was still moving.

 

“You almost killed me.”

 

“I know”

 

“Love me that much?”

 

“Just a little more than pizza” 

 

“I'm the luckiest guy in the world”

 

“Yes. Yes, you are”

 

“Keep moving you two” Kane said sounding like she was going to hurl. I would have kept going just for that. 

 

“Yeah, yeah we're going” I said picking up some rounds and an extra gun. 

 

“Aren't you glad I suggested the copy cat augment?” Seely's said walking up to my side.

 

“It was a good call, I'll admit that.”  I said. 

 

“It was a great call” she said running through the door to cover inside the building. 

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

“That was fun” Seely said after we had taken out big sister. 

 

“Yeah, let's not do that again.” I said taking a look at the console. There was no way we were getting the data we needed off of it. It needed both brother and sister to unlock it. One was dead the other knocked out on the floor. 

 

We had both thought it but Seely was the one to take action. We needed that data; even though what she did was not what I was expecting it got the job done. Now the remaining Xiulan sibling was missing part or her arm. Anything for the mission I guess. 

 

That got us in. Seely took cover as I began the download. I could see everything. From the data to what was going on outside the small room. Seely was fending off waves of 54i alone. Not the best if situations for either of us. I could hear Kane say something in the background. The download was almost done. Seely took a clip to her cheek and returning to sender what had been thrown her way. 

 

Was it even possible for someone's brain to actually hurt? “Hendricks! Jacob!” Seely yelled at me as the I finished getting the Intel we needed. 

 

“I'm good, I'm good...let's just get out of here” I said getting to my feet following Seely to the catwalk. We needed to book it out of there and fast. 

 

“The Z Tracks! Let’s go!” Seely said as we both grabbed onto one of the tracks and held on. We landed at one of the Super Trees. This just kept getting better and better. Running from Supertree to Super Tree was not how I had imagine the end of this mission. 

 

“Just shoot everything if we can” I called out over the gun fire. 

 

“That just doesn’t seem practical but ok.” 

 

“We’re almost out of here, just got to get to the dock and these guys are in our way” I said taking out a few of the 54I behind us. 

 

“You owe me dinner damnit” Seely grumbled as we made our way to the our exfil. 

 

_ If we live through this yeah sure, fanciest dinner we can afford; it's all yours sweetheart. _

 

Unfortunately our original exfil was not to be. Everything was starting to explode and go up in flames as we got there. Seely pointed to an air boat as Kane yelled in our ears to get on. I had a bad feeling about this but Seely got up on the gun and I held on for dear life. Kane drove the boat and I actually think she was trying to kill me with the way she drove. 

 

Kane took the jump off of a ramp and surprisingly enough we were home free. Seely and I a little more worse or wear as Kane managed to drive the boat out to open water before steering us back to a nearby safe house. 

  
  


“What did you find out?” Seely asked when we finally had a moment to breathe at the safe house and Kane wasn’t in out ears. 

 

“What did I find out? What I found out has to be bullshit that's what” I said actually breaking the handle off of my rifle. 

 

“So they have gone rogue?” Seeley said keeping her head cool as always and taking the handle away from me. 

 

“Yeah…” 

 

“So what's our next move?” 

 

“I guess we go check out their last OP” I said tossing a bullet to the other side of the room. 

 

“Okay then. I found some steaks at a nearby market place where no one knows who we are or have seen our faces. Hopefully won’t start asking questions or anything. So, what do you say we cook those up, eat, get some rest and head out in the morning?” she said showing me the meat on the makeshift counter top in the tiniest kitchen I had ever seen. 

 

“Did you make sure the meat was fresh?” 

 

“Yes.”

 

“Did you also wash off the counter top?” 

 

“Yes, Jacob” 

 

“Did you get potatoes?” 

 

“Boy. You are damned lucky I found decent enough steaks. I was not about to push the potatoes” she said making her way back to the kitchen. 

 

The plan right now was to eat, rest and then get ready to head out to where Taylor and his group had their last op. Back into the Quarantine Zone we go. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you all enjoyed this latest installment. i'm sorry i'm so bad at updating anything right now. the battle has been really bad lately and i'm just now starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel.   
> love you all see you all next time :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Into the abyss they go. Part one of the Hypocenter mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Doing better guys and I hope you all are too.   
> So please enjoy!
> 
> I don't own any thing just so we're clear :)

"That's  bullshit!" I said as we went over what we found with the 54i. 

 

"Taylor's team was there" Kane said.

 

"It has to be doctored. There's no way in hell" I was beyond pissed. There was no way Taylor's team would do this. 

 

"Are you serious. What did we just see?!"

 

"Like I said it's bullshit!"

 

"Will you reason with you dammed...other!?"

 

"You mean 'significant' other"

 

"No I didn't Hendricks. And and you know it." Kane said.

 

"STOP" Seely said. It was the first time she had said anything since we had gotten back. "Is there a chance that this could be faked? You know to try to incriminate Taylor's team in some way?"

 

Kane and I looked at her. Most sense that I had heard all day. Of course we all had been arguing for the past few hours. 

 

"Possible. And most likely probable, just not plausible." Kane said. 

 

That didn't help the fact it just pissed me off even more. But it didn't get to Seeley the way it did me. She was the cool head on this team; at least that made one of us. "Ok so there's a chance of that." She said. 

 

"That doesn't explain everything else though. Seels, why would someone want to. Most of Taylor's enemies are pretty much dead." I said trying to figure this all out. It made my head hurt.  

 

"Then we go find out."

 

"I want to believe they're innocent too but guys I've gone over the vids" 

 

"Yeah, well not good enough!"

 

"Jacob!"

 

"I like Seely's idea. We check it out. Clear their names since whatever it was made them go dark must have been bad." I said after Seely snapped. 

 

"Fine. But this is a bad idea." Kane fumed walking out of our safe house to wherever it was she went.

 

"Jacob"

 

"What?"

 

"Can you two try to get along? She's an ally, not an enemy" Seely said rubbing her temples. I loved her but I didn't like Kane. I went over and put my hands on her shoulders. 

 

"How about I agree to try. We know Taylor; I just want to know why" I said rubbing her shoulders.

 

"I want to know why too, Jacob but we can't fight with everyone that wants to accuse them of something." She said leaning back to look at me. 

 

"What then?"

 

"We go to where it started and see what we can find out. If anything I'm sure there's a good reason why."

 

"You don't sound too sure" I said trying to focus on the flesh that had a huge knot in it.

 

"Because I'm not, if I'm being honest. If there isn't a good reason then you know we have to bring them in" she said.

 

"I know...so the plan?" I asked trying to keep it cool. 

 

"We head to the Hypo-Center. See what we turn up. If the video is true then we find Taylor and his crew. If it's not true then we still try to find them and help them if we can." She explained.

 

It seemed simple enough. Of course nothing ever seemed as such now a days. We'd go to the Hypo-Center. See what's up. "Back into the Quarantine zone?"

 

"Back into the Quarantine Zone"

 

"Let's do it" 

  
  


*~~~*~~~*~~~*

  
  


Always with the damned bugs. When we finally got there it was close to midday. Not a cloud in sight as the sun beat down on the old ruin that uses to be something. "...feels like I'm back in the Amazon" I heard her mumble behind me.

 

"You and I remember that a bit differently" I chuckled as we fell into cover in the tall grass. We soon came upon some 54i on patrol along the perimeter. We were in our regular gear so it blended fairly well with the sickened grass and black out buildings. 

 

"Not now guys please" Kane finally made herself known over the comms. I rolled my eyes and let out a huff. We have this for the lost part. 

 

"Aw Kane, don't be such a buzz kill" Seely chuckled slowly falling in beside me as we watched the 54i in front of us. 

 

_ Yeah, Kane. Don't be such a buzzkill.  _ I crossed my eyes and tried to imitate Kane from the com. Seely giggled at the face I made. At least I still had that going for me. "I'll wait for you to shoot first" I said waiting on Seely to take the first shot. 

 

I paid more attention to our target up ahead, but I could feel her line up her shot and taken out the guard. Like pieces falling into place, the area broke out into a firefight. Everything had been going fine until we got closer to the main building itself. An A.P.S decided it was going to make life that much harder for us. Seely dove for the RPG one of the 54i dropped as I whittled down its plates for a clear shot at it. No matter how many of these things we took down, they never got any easier.

 

Felt like we had been fighting that thing for the better part of the day, but looking up at the sun. That damned star had only moved the tiniest bit letting us know that only a short five minutes had passed. I heard Seely shuck in her last shell and fire it at the giant bot. The A.P.s went down in a billow of smoke and we were clear to make out way to the building. "Well that sucked" I said when she finally caught up with me. 

 

"Tell me about it" her smile was crooked as we made out way in. 

 

Mother nature had reclaimed the majority of the main lobby. Overgrown and green with sunlight shining through. It wouldn't be long before we would have to make our way down but for now we needed some kind of lead up here. The lights turned on as we made our way through. Seely jumped like a scared cat. Her trigger itching to shoot anything that moved.

 

I let out a small chuckle letting her know it wasn't anything. Maybe just a backup generator for the place. She gave me a face as we kept moving. I whispered 'fraidy cat'

 

"There's a spider on your shoulder" she said almost too casually.

 

"No there's not" I turned to her before we made our way out to the balcony. 

 

"Yes there is" she deadpanned.

 

"Seely that's not funny." I began to panic. I hated spiders. I holstered my gun and began to brush off my shoulders. She just stood there and watched me trying to find a spider I knew wasn't there. 

 

Her grin was that of a very evil Cheshire cat. I couldn't believe what just happened. Hendricks : 0; Seely : 1. 

 

"C'mon ya lug. There isn't a spider but that was for calling me a fraidy cat" she said moving past me to the center balcony. I guess I should have expected that. "That's a long way down"

 

"Long way for some answers" I commented looking over a body that had been there for quite a while. 

 

"You hear that?" Seely asked looking around for some imaginary noise.

 

"Honestly I think I'm going deaf"

 

"There's a beeping...over here" she went over a partition to another body closer to the edge to find a tablet. 

 

"Anything good?"

 

"Maybe. Maybe we could use this. Kane see what you can find out" she said hacking the tablet to let our dear LNO find out more. Yeah sure let's just give her full access to everything. I looked at Seely making sure she knew I didn't like that idea though it was necessary.

 

Rolling her eyes at me after getting what info her and Kane could we ventured to the edge of the balcony. I pulled a small drone from its holster on my back and activated it. "Drone away" I said letting fly it's way down into the Hypocenter.

 

"Into the abyss we go" Seely said as we jumped off the low edge and began our descent. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed.  
> Remember I love you all and you all are my reason I create
> 
> See you in the next one

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading. 
> 
> Now that I'm back in the swing of things I should be back on track with everything
> 
> Thank you :)


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